Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-08-25

'.Big cat. said Marie. heap bigger q
our cat. Amt she p'it1y?"
Toinette's blood froze with terror q
she turned her head
On the piazza. between the girls and
TIE back door stood a royal Bengal
tiger!
Just what Toinettc would have done
will never be known. Fortunately the
tigers action decided the matter. One
of Marie's bubbles had foated in his
direction. 1t rested lightly on the tip
of his nose. and bounding of. it shfm-
n,ered with dazzling magnifcence fsr
a second and then collapsed.
The tiger was unquestionably aston.
ished. 1t beat any thing that he had
ever seen in the circus He looked
puzzled for an instant and then TUNED
towards the girls with growl.
Hardly knowing what she was about.
Toinette mechanically blew another
bubble. 1t foated grandly out into
the open air and in the sunlight shone
with dazzling radiance.
The tiger sat down on his launches
and followed the airy nothing with his
eyes.
lie was a royal looking beast and
one of the largest of his species. His
body was of bright orange yellow.
with transverse bars of black, contrast
ing well with his white throat and gray
ish face.
All this Toinette took in. together
with the brute's savage teeth. his mar
velous surpleness and grace. and his
formidable claws.
800, see her whiskers," said Marie,
calmly. zoos big cat l wonder?"
A sudden inspiration struck Toinette,
and she brcathed silent prayer.
elbow, Marie. blow and keep quiet, :"
she whispered. 1.-THE big cat will run
away" and so saying she blew Il mon
ster bubble and waited it toward the
animal.
Again the tiger showed signs of
pleasure. He rose and arched his long
body. and rubbed against one of the
pillars of the piazza, making a purring
noise not unlike that of cat
IF somebody would only Gomez"
thought poor Toinette.
There was no help FIR it. The bub-
bles had to be blown so long rs they
would keep the tiger in good humor.
Little Marie did her part of the work
splendidly. Her eyes dlated in adj
miration as she saw the performances
of the big cat, but she held her tongue
and turned out bubbles with wonder
full rapidity.
But Toinette realized with flutter-
ing of her heart that this by-play was
only delaying the terrible reckoning.
The visitor from Bengal would pres
emily want a more substantial lunch
than soap bubbles. He was liable to
spring on them at any moment, and it
would only precipitate their fate to at
tempt flight
The girls face grew paler, and hcr
trembling limbs scarcely supported
her as she tried with quivering lips to
blow another bubble.
Hark! What did she hear? 1t sounded
like a stcalthy step.
Around the corner Of the house
came Mr.. La Rue and two other men
with rifles in their hands.
The tiger heard them and whirled
about with a ferocious grow'.
Two guns rang out simultaneously,
and the beautiful but terrible pet Of
the menagerie bounded high in the air
and fell in the yard struggling in the
last spasm of death.
Mr. LaRue sprang forward on tho
piazza and caught the fainting form of
Toinette.
''Our ncighbors stopped me just in
time. he said. land left your mother
there. and we came right on with our
guns"
''Seven feet and half long" said
one of the men. coming up. Your
shot did the work, LaRue. 1t struck
him in the eye"
But when the girls told their story,
the men turned white, and then grew
enthusiastic.
Toinette and the tiger at once be-
came the sensation of the hour Nor
did Marie 90 without her share of the
honors. She was petted and Rugged
until she was consoled for the loss OF
her pity big cat
Il would die a thousand deaths
rather than 60 through it again." said
Toinette. excitedly. when her friends
spoke of the affair in her presence.
And it was easy to see that she meant
every word of it. ~ ". p. Reed, in at.
lcnta Consultation